Method of and means for inserting fastenings



R. H. LAWSON METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR INSERTING FASTENINGS Filed Feb. 11, 1924 Cit) Patented st. 9, 11%28.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. LAWSON, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, JERSEY.

OF PATEREIOZX NEJV JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW IVIETHOI) OF AND MEANS FGR INSERTING FASTENINGS.

Application filed February 11, 1924 My invention relates to the, insertion of t'ast'enings. particularly for the purpose of attaching heels to shoes. as by nailing: through the heel-seat of a shoe into a heel.

In work of the character just indicszted. commonly termed inside nailing. it is necessary to drive the heel-attaching nails as close to the periphery of the heel possible to obtain a tight rand-crease. Yet. the nails thus driven must not be so close to the crease as to emerge through the side walls of the heel or to come into the ticld of action ot the breastinggand edge-trimming tools. Also. in the inside nailing of heels. in which the nails may not be driven through and clinched. but may have their points within the heel-substance. it becomes desirable to so drive said nails to increase their rcshtance to withdrawal. It is therefore an object of mv invention to provide tor the in zrtion of the nails in a manner attaining; these results.

In the accomplishment of th. is object. a feature of the invention consists in positioning a nail or other fastening preparatory to inscrtion. and then forming it. as by swayingan inclined surface upon its entering. end. to determine the direction it shall take. In the attachment of heels to shoes. this direction is with reference to the periphery the heel. the nails being operatcd upon to cause them prot'crubly to follow paths away trom such periphery. The nails may thus be driven in close proximity to the rand-crea e without da ot coming: outside the wall of the tltlclutl heel. At the same t me. the courses (-t' the nails so depart from stra ig'ht lines that they are stronyrlv held by the heel-suhstancc. To ohtain the closeness of the nails to the randwrensc. this being without regard to the manner in which their direction of insertion is governed. I may independently determine the points of in =ertior ot the attaching series by the torm ot the wo -t. as the countcr-p 'n' tin? oi the s oe wl s to be heeled. As lwroi": 'llFtiOr d ing of the nails i. this ll... uwtuiplislt d utter the formation of their points. they being held against otation to prevent di turbance of the predetermined direction ot insertion. In connection with heels provided with opening their relation to the inserting meclrinisni 1: av be deter mined by positioning means entering uch openings.

A particular cinlodimcnt ot' the machine Serial No. 692,054.

of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 being" a front elevation of a heeler to which the present improvements are applied and which is organized to carry out the herein-disclosed method;

Fig. 2, a central vertical section through the work-support or jack of this machine;

Fig. 3. a perspective view of the upper portion oi the jack; 1

Fig. t. a similar view of the gang of swaging tools;

Figs. 5 and 6. enlarged vertical sectional details through one of the nail-tubes, showing the elements. respectively, in the nailreccivino' and swaging positions; and

Fig. 7. a perspective view of a nail engaged by the reta ning member and particularly illustrating the formation of its point.

In many respects. the apparatus of this invention may l similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 146.885. Pope. February 24. 1891. There is illustrated a frame 10. at the upper portion of which is carried a horizontal block 12. this. in the present instance. serving onlv as anabutment against which the work is pressed dur ng the nailing: operation. Arranged to reciprocate vertically in the frame are s de rods 14. 14. connected at their lower extrem ties by a cross-head 16 and at their upper ends by a top girt 18. In the present machine. this top grirt is without function. save to tie the side rods together. The cross-head and side rods. in their reciprocation. supply power tor the various operations of the machine. being driven bv an eccentricrod 230 pivoted to the cross-head and surrounding an eccentric 22 fixed upon a main sha it 24 rotatable in the frame.

In opposite wavs 26. adiacent to the side rods. a slide 28 is movable vertically. this slide being provided with horizontal ways 1 0. l nraiiejed to travel along the ways 30. from a position clear of the block 12. at which it is accessible by the operator. to one beneath said block. this being the operating position.

'iaclediasc 39 carrying at its upper end a ck As in the machine ot the patent alriead i'etci'rcd to. the jack-slide may be ra .ed and lowered with reference to the block 152 by screw mechanism 36 and cam mechani m 38. This latter mechanism includcs a slide 39. the elevation and depression of which by the associated cams communL cates movement to the jack. The screw mechanism 36 is actuated by a rack and pinion 40 and lever 42 from a treadle 44, while the cam mechanism acts as a result of the reciprocation of the side rods, being connected to these at 46.

Guided to oscillate toward and from the longitudinal axis of the jack in vertical depressions 4'8 surrounding its periphery are nail-tubes 50, pivoted at 52 by cylindrical extensions arranged to turn in horizontal grooves in the ack and permitting some lateral bodily movement of the tubes, as well their oscillation. The opposite sides of the tubes are flat, contacting with the adjacent walls of the depressions to furnish bearings which guide the tubes in their movement. Through each tube is a vertical nail-holding bore, with its receiving opening 54 in an end surface of the tube situated just below a surface 56 of the jack upon which the heel-seat of a shoe is supported during the nailing op eration. Just above the pivotal point of each nail-tube is formed a cam-slot 58 inclined upwardly and inwardly, each of these slots having operating in it a roll 60 rotatable upon a horizontal extension from an actuating rod 62. Each rod is mounted to reciprocate vertically in the outer portion of the base 32, there being one of these corresponding to each of the nail-tubes 50. Movable within the base is a sleeve or operating member 64 having horizontal bores to receive shanks 66 of connecting collars 68, one of these collars surrounding each of the rods 62v Within a bore in each collar is a friction plug 70, the outer end of which is held by a spring 72 against a flattened portion 74 of the corresponding actuating rod 62. Formed upon the outside of the sleeve is a vertical rack 76, with which meshes a pinion 78 journaled in the base and provided upon the forward extremity of its spindle with a hand-wheel 80. by which the pinion may be rotated to raise and lower the sleeve. As illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the sleeve 64 is in its lowest position, holding the rolls 60 at the bottom of the cam-slots 58, the nail-tubes being thereby maintained in their inmost positions in the depressions 48. This latter relation is best shown in Fig. 3. NVhen the hand-wheel 80 is rotated to raise the sleeve, the friction plugs bearing against the surfaces 74 of the actuating rods carry the rolls upward along the cam-slots, swinging the nail-tubes out until they are arrested by the contact of their upper extremities with the inner sur fa e of the counter-portion of a shoe, as that illustrated at S in Fig. 2. This brings each nailreceiving opening 54,independently of the associated tubes, close to the rand-crease, to insure a uniformly tight joint about the entir crease. Upon contact between the tubes and shoe, the frictional connections between the plugs and rods slip, so that further rotation of the handwheel is without effect upon the tubes, each of which has been brought to its bearing against the counter without interference with'its companions. Opposite rotation of the hand-wheel lowers the sleeve (El and the rods, drawing the rolls down the cam-slots and returning the nail -tubes to their normal positions. Here again the frictional connections may slio when the tubes are seated in their depressions.

Having a bearing within th base 32 above the sleeve (54 is a plunger 82 provided with a central shank 84 passing downwardly through the sleeve. Mounted to oscillate freely about hall-and-socl et joints 86 are holders 88 for drivers 90 operating in the nail-tubes. These drivers may be positioned manually through a rack carried atone side of the lower extremity of the shank 84 and engaged by a pinion 91. The spindle of the pinion is journaled in the base 82, and has fast upon its forward extremity a hand wheel 96, by which it may be rotated to raise and lower the plunger 82. The driv rs may be operated under power by contact of a plunger with the extremity of the shank 84. This plunger is carried by a bell-cranklever 102 fulcrumed upon the slide 28 carrying the jack. A link 104 joins the lever 102 to a bell crank-lever 106 pivoted on the cam mechanism slide 30. the lever 106, at its opposite extremity from the link 104, being united byalink 108 to the cross-head 16. Consequently, when this cross-head reciprocates, the oscillation of the levor-system raises the plungers 1G0 and 82. and therefore the drivers, the travel of the latter being sufficient to bring the nail-engaging ends of the drivers to the tops of the tubes 50, to effect the insertion of the nails N. The weight of the connecting elements, especially the plung ers. may be sufiicient to return the drivers to their lowered position when the crosshead 16 is brought to normal by its eccentric. lVhen supported in the tubes 50 upon the drivers 90, the upper extremities or points of the nails N may be formed by a gang of swagiug tools 110. Each of these tools may consist of a rod having an inclined pressureface 112 and depending from. a plate ll-il. The plate mounted to turn about one of the side rods 11, from an inactive position. a is illustrated in 1. until it contacts with a s top 118 upon the block at which time one of the tools 112 is alined with each of the openings 541 and acts l ngitudinally of a tube 50 containing a nail. the point of which is to be formed. The nails being supported upon the ends of the drivers. which are so located ve tically by n'ianipulation of the handwheel 96 that the nail-points are just below the openin s the operator. by depressing the treadle 44 raises the jack by the screw mechanism 36, force the nails against the faces 112 of the tools. as is illustrated in Ill 6 of the drawing. This forms upon each nail a surface inclined oppositely to the swaging face of the tool. The angle at which each face is situated about the axis of the tool is such as to produce a. surface upon the nail, the pressure 11 on which in driving will cause a deflection o" the entering point of the nail in the desired direction. l or the purposes of the present invention, the swaging aces, when co-operating with the openings 5 1, are inclined upwardly and inwardly from the periphery of the jack, so that the nails N, in driving, follow paths curved away from the periphery of the heel which they attach. It is to be observed, that the formation of the nails takes place while they are positioned for insertion. It is therefore unnecessary to give further attention to the angular relation of their points, but merely to hold them against rotation about their axes.

To retain the nails with their points in the proper angular positions after swaging, each tube is slotted at its inner side just below the opening 54, and has pivoted in it at 118 a retaining finger 120. This finger has an enlarged contact-end 122, grooved vertically at 121 to partially embrace the nail and thus give such frictional engagement as will hold said nail against accidental rotation about its axis. The contact-end of the finger is forced normally toward the nail by a spring 126 extending between the lower extremity of the finger and an adjacent portion of the nail-tube. Upon the outer side of each finger, between its contact-end and pivot, is a projection 128, which, at the time the nail is to be retained, lies in a reduced portion 130 of the driver. This reduced portion or groove extends for a sufficient distance along the driver to provide for the retaining engagement of the finger with the nail at all times during its forming and driving. The groove, however, stops short of the upper end of the driver, leaving a portion of full diameter at 131, against which the projection 128 rests when the driver is in the position for loading the nail into the nail-tube. This carries the end 122 away from the nail-receiving bore, leaving this free for the entrance of the nail.

To permit a heel H to be correctly assembled with the shoe S for attachment. both shoe and heel are preferably provided with openings, two of these being illustrated at s in the heel-seat. spaced along the longitudinal axis of the shoe. and corr sponding openings h in the heel. These openings are so formed in the heel-seat and heel, that when they are in alinement the periphery of the heel is properly related to the exterior of the counter-portion of the shoe for the attachmentof the former. To facilitate the gaging operation, the jack 34 has two pins or projections 132 extending upwardly from the urface 56'. these pins entering first the openings s in the heel-seat, when the shoe is jacked,

and then the openings h in the heel, when this latter is placed upon the heel-seat. By this means, the correct relation of the shoe to the jack, as well as the heel to the heel-seat of the shoe, is assured. To permit the pins to accommodate themselves to heel-openings of different depths, they may be yieldably mounted in the jack, being backed by springs 134, against which they may be depressed upon the application of pressure to their upper extremities.

To outline generally the carrying out of my improved method by this machine, it may be said that with the elements in the relation illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing and the jack drawn outfrom beneath the block 12, nails are supplied to the openings 54 of the tubes 50. At this time, the drivers are as illustrated in Fig. 5, the fingers 120 being forced back by the portions 131 of the drivers to clear the tubes for the reception of the nails. Now the operator, by turning the hand-wheel 96, raises the drivers until the points of the nails reach the height illustrated in Fig. 6, at which time each finger-projection 128 enters the depression 130, releasing its finger 120 to cause the engagement and retention of the nail against rotation by the portion 122. Thereupon, the plate 114 may be swung against the stop 116, so that the tools 110 are in registration with the openings 54 and the treadle 44 depressed. This, through the screw mechanism 36, elevates the jack, and the pressure of the nail-points against the surfaces 112 of the tools swages over said points to the form illustrated for one of the nails in dotted lines at n in Fig. 7. The formation of the entering extremities of the nails being completed, the jack is lowered and drawn out. the swaging tools moved to their inactive position. and a shoe-upper S. in the heel-seat of which have been formed the gage-openings s. s, is placed upon the jack with the heelseat-portion resting upon the surface 56 over the openings 5-1. Rotation of the hand-whee]. by the operator then carries out the upper ends of the nail-tubes, under the influence of the movement of the sleeve 64 communicated through the frictional connections and camslots. until each tube is stopped in the nailing position by its contact with the counter-portion of the shoe adjacent to the rand-crease. The heel H may then he applied to the heelseat of the shoe, gaged in relation thereto by the entrance of the pins 132 into its openings h. 72 The operator slides the jack in beneath the block 12, and depresses the treadle 44 to apply preliminary pressure to the work. the heel being raised into contact with the under side of the block and forced against the heelseat. Actuating the usual starting lever 136 trips the clutch of the machine. and final pressure is applied for the nailing operation by the action of the cam mechanism 38. this being followed by the elevation of the drivers under the influence of the plunger 82 actuated from the slide 16. As the swaged points of the nails enter the substance of the heel, the horizontal component of the resistance to their movement deflects them inwardly away from the periphery of the heel, so they are caused to follow the paths indicated in Fig. 2, and at the same time, by their departure from right lines, to set up a considerably greater resistance to displacement than Would be present if they were driven straight into the heel. At the end of the cycle of operation of the machine under power, the drivers resume the position appearing in Fig. 5, the work is relieved from pressure, and the jack may be drawn out for the removal of the heeled shoe and the performance of the succeeding operation.

Ha ing described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The method of inserting" fasteningrs, which consists in positioning a fastening preparatory to insertion, forming the fastening: while thus fixed in position to determine the direction of insertion, and effecting the insertion of the fastening from theformine position.

2. The method of inserting fasteninpgs, which consists in placing a fastening;- in a position preparing it for a direct movement of insertion, forming the thus positioned fastening to determine the direction of insertion, retaining the formed fastening; against d'splacement in the forming position to prevent disturbance of the predeterniined direction i insertion. and effecting the insertion of the formed fastening.

3. The method of inserting fasteninc s, which consists in fixing in position a fasteningr preparatory to insertion. forming noon the entering end of the fastening, a surface inclined to the axis of said fastening: to ca se its pressure agrainstihe worh during: insertion to deflect it from the direction of said axis, and effecting the insertion of the fastening in a direction determined substantially from its forming position by such inclinat ion of the entering end.

4. The method of attaching heels to shoes, which consists in positioning a. sec! inc; device for co-operation with a heel and heel,- seat of a shoe. forming the entering end of the securil'ig' device in av predetermined relation to the periphery of the heel. and forcing the securing device in such relation into the work.

The method of securing objects by nails. which consists in positioning the nails for (:1)- oneration with the objects. swae'ine: to inclined form the entering ends of the nails while thus positioned. and driving the units into the objects after the completion of their formation.

6. The method of attaching, heels to shoes by inside nailing, which consists in supplyit;-

esasao nails to a jack, changing the form of the nails to cause them to fellow paths away from the periphery of the heel to be attached, jacking a sum, :ppfinp; a hecl to the jacked shoe, and driving n. through the heel-seat of the shoe into the heel.

hy inside naiting, which consists in supplying u-iis to a ack. forming upon the entering ..s of thus-supplied nails inclined surfaces ha predetermined relations to the ncriihcrv of the lack. hofdin he formed naus against rotation, picking a shoe, applying: heel to the acked shoe, and driving naih thin rush the heel-seat of the shoe 1nto the heel.

The method of attaching heels by inside r which consists in su 'lviiw nails to H i L u 1- shoe. holding each of the his at points independently de hy the form of the shoe, applying a he acked shoe. and drivin the nails the heel-seat or the shoe into the a machine for inserting fasteni for holding a loose fastening m'eparatory to insertion, means for forming the eninr: thus held. and means for inthe formed fastening.

ii a macnine for inserting fastenings, fastening, a driver operating in the tube. i-l fz-isteningforming means acting; lfillglt'll-fiinflliy of. the

.5... Ltllll.

in a machine for ins-1 a tube. a driver. l means the direction of inserf (o-operating with opposite tf-ii'i'tilllitiC of the tube.

123. In a machin d to receive a fastening. a e in the tuhr. or"; fastening ns co-operating with the tube 5:; upon the retained :amrning.

In a machine f r 1115811121,!

fastenin ls, r ns fo holding; a fastening! 'ier insertion.

aging tool arrang .d to act upon the en- L tilt? and an end meat.

thus hcl d againstinciin, for inserting the Y i! i 1 i to act simultaneously upon the entering ends of the fastenings thus held against movement, and drivers for contact with the swaged fastenings.

16. In a heel-attaching machine, nailholding means, drivers co-operating therewith, and forming means eo-operating with the holding means and arranged to produce inclined surfaces upon the points of the nails in a predetermined relation to the periphery of the heel to be attached.

17. In a heel-attaching machine, nailholding means, drivers co-operating there with, forming means co-operating with the holding means and arranged to produce inclined surfaces upon the points of the nails in a predetermined relation to the periphery of the heel to be attached. and retaining members contacting with the nails during the operation of the forn'iing means and drivers.

18. In a machine for inserting fastenings in shoes. a shoe-support having a series of fastening-inserting mechanisms movable ther on. and means arranged to move the mechanisms siuiultzmeously to a point for each mechanism determined independently of the associated mechanisms by contact with the supported shoe.

19. In a shoe-nailing machine. a jack. a plurality of nail-inserting machanisms movable thereon. means arranged to move the mechanisms simultaneously, and frictional connections between the moving means and each inserting mechanism. said frictional connections being arranged to permit movement of the inserting mechanisms independently of one another.

20. In a shoe-nailing machine. a jack. a plurality of movable nail-tubes pivoted upon the jack. an actuating member co-operating with each tube. an operating member connnon to the actuating members. and frictional connections between the operating and actuating members. said frictional connections being arranged to permit movement of the actuating members independently of one another- 21. In a fastoning-inserting machine. a shoe-support having depressions opening through its periphery. and nail-tubes mov able toward and from one another through the openings of the depressions to points determined by a shoe on the support.

22. In a heel-attaching machine. a jack.

nail-tubes pivoted thereon and having cam surfaces. and movable members arranged to actuate the nail-tubes and contacting with the cam surfaces. 23. In a heel'attaching machine. a nail-tubes pivoted thereon and having camsilrtaces. movable members arranged to actuate the nail tubes and contacting with the cam-surfaces. and a member common to the actuating members and arranged to move them simultaneously.

21. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack.

jack.

nail-tubes pivoted thereon and having camsurfaces, rods arranged to reciprocate upon the jack, a sleeve movable upon the jack, and frictional connections between the sleeve and rods.

25. In a machine for inserting fastenings, a fastening-receiving tube, a driver movable in the tube between positions in Which the fastening is received in the tube and in which the insertion is completed, and a retaining member arranged to act upon the fastening in the tube, the driver cooperating With the retaining member in the fastening-receiving position to render said retaining member ineti'ective.

26. In a machine for inserting fastenings, a fastening-receiving tube, a driver movable in the tube, and a member having a portion arranged to contact wi h the fastening in the tube and retain it in position for insertion and an independent portion for contact With the driver.

2?. In a machine for inserting fastenings, a fastciting-receiving tube. a driver movable in the tube. and a retaining member having a portion for contact'with the fastening in the tube and an independent portion for contact with the driver. there being a depression in the driver to receive the last-mentioned portion.

28. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack. :1 nail-tube movable upon the jack toward and from its longitudinal axis. a driver operating in the tube. and a member pivoted upon the tube and having a portion for contact with a nail therein.

29. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack. a nail-tube mo able upon the jack, a driver operating in the tube. and a member pivoted upon the tube and having an end-portion arranged to contact with a nail in the tube and a portion intermediate such end-portion and the pivot and arranged for contact with the driver.

30. In a heelaittaching machine. a jack. a nail-tube movable upon the jack, a driver operating in the tube. and a. member pivoted upon the tube and having an end-portum arranged to contact with a nail in the tube and a portion intermwliate such end-portion and the pivot and arranged for contact with the driver. the driver being provided with a depression to receive the intern'iediate portion.

31. In a machine for inserting fastenings, a fastening-receiving tube. a driver movable therein. fasteuing-forming means co-opcrating with the tube and driver. and means ar ranged to move the driver to a fasteningrcceiving pos tion and a fastening-forming position. and temporarily retain it in each position. and means for moving the driver to a fastener-inserting position.

32. In a machine for inserting fastenings in heels provided with openings. fasteninginserting mechanism including movable tubes arranged to receive the fastenings and inserting means movable Within the tubes, and means arranged to enter the heel-openings to position a heel with relation to the inserting mechanism.

33. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack having movable nail-tubes and co-operating heel-positioning means, and nail-drivers movable in the tubes.

34. In a heel-attaching machine, jack having movable nail-tubes terminating in proxiimity to its heel-seat-portion and heel-positioning means situated on such hcel-seat-portion between the extremities of the tubes, and nail-drivers movable in the tubes.

35. In a machine for attaching a heel pro-- vided with positioning openings, a jack having nail-tubes terminating in proximity to its heel-seat-portion and projections from such heel-seat-portion arranged to enter the heelopenings, and nail-drivers movable in the tubes.

36. The method of attaching heels by inside nailing, which consists in supplying nails to a jack, jacking a shoe, positioning each of the supplied nails at points determined independently of the associated nails under the influence of the jacked shoe, applying a heel to the shoe, and driving the nails through the heel-seat of the shoe into the heel.

37. In a fastening-inserting machine, a shoe-support, a plurality of fastening-inserting' mechanisms movable upon the support, and means arranged to move the fasteninginserting mechanisms through diflerent dis tanccs outward into contact with the supported shoe.

38. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a plurality of nail-tubes movable upon the jack, and means for forcing the tub-es toward the counter-portion of a jacked shoe.

39. In a heel-attaching); machine, a jack, a plurality of nail-tubes movable upon the jack, drivers operating in the tubes, and means for successively moving the tubes through distances determined by the jacked shoe and for operating the drivers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT I-I. LAIVSON. 

